One of the fun parts of this award is that the window of eligibility runs from June 1 to May 31, meaning that books I might have put in the (mentally) filed away 2013 folder pop up to do battle against 2014 titles. The Animal Book did that for me – great to see that excellent book get some more attention.

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

I imagine that the fiction winners were decided by coin flip. Each is so different and each is so amazing for such different reasons. Probably since both Yang and Wein deal with history, the judges decided to avoid insect wrath and go with Smith’s book. Seriously, each one of these books could have been the winner and Smith’s book is the best thing he has written (and possibly the book that students will still be reading 75 years from now). More awards coming to the grasshopper down the road.

About 100 Scope Notes

Children's literature news, reviews and assorted school librarian oddities. Combine one part kid's books, one part school librarianship, a splash of absurdity and you get 100 Scope Notes.

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com. He's also on...